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Mother-of-five Bernadette, aged 43, said: "I applied to Family Fund for a grant to buy a TV for Aimee-Leigh and they sent me a £150 card for Comet about three weeks ago.

"I went into Comet at Trent Vale to buy the TV and they told me they weren't accepting the cards from Family Fund any more.

"I rang the charity who said I could still spend it, and I checked Comet's website, which said the administrators were still allowing stores to take them.

"I went back to the store and this time was told I could spend it but I had to pay an extra £70 for five-year insurance. I rang Family Fund again and they said that wasn't true."

Bernadette then went to the Comet store at Festival Park, where she said staff were rude and aggressive.

"They told me they weren't accepting the cards," she said. "The man I spoke to was abusive and made me feel so small. Everyone was looking at me.

"I told him the company had already had the money from a charity and he said they weren't bothered because they were losing their jobs anyway."

Aimee-Leigh has difficulties walking, sitting up or talking properly. She regularly has fits and has a limited immune system.

Bernadette, of London Road, Newcastle, said: "It's really upset me. Aimee-Leigh has been so poorly. She had a lumbar puncture two weeks ago and we are waiting on test results to see if she is suffering from a rare condition.

"She spends most of her time sleeping and watching TV is her one pleasure in life. I'm disgusted that Comet has had money from this charity and treated people like this."

Family Fund provides grants for low-income families with a disabled child to enable them to buy electrical goods, clothing and other items. The charity awarded £33.4 million to 59,166 families in the UK last year.

A charity spokesman said other families had the same experience with Comet, and the charity was working to ensure they would not lose their grants.

"This has been a very confusing time for the families affected," she said. "We are working with Comet and the administrators on a report to detail families that have not been able to spend their gift cards. As soon as we get that we are planning to reissue the funding for alternative retailers."

A statement from Deloitte on Comet's website said Family Fund gift cards were being accepted at the retailer from November 6.

This was updated on December 3 to say the cards could no longer be spent in store.

Not advertising for Hylands at all.......... just saying that the service I received from Comet was appalling then compared to the service from Hylands.
Perhaps Hylands would be prepapred to donate/....... who am I to say what they should or should not do
Perhaps if the The Sentinel contated the company then they might, as they are a "family" run firm.
I was just making comparisons to the service/delivery from large Company to small company.

May be we should contact Hylands maybe they will donate this girl a tv DVD combi and chuck in some dvd's go with it as the previous comment is so someone riding an advert on the misfortune of this little girl not getting help when she needed it.

Wouldn't it be great if a local business not part of a chain sorted this little girl with a tv DVD combi rather than letting this situation continue. Or perhaps Deloitte can arrange a next a delivery. I wish I had the money. Would get her one.....shame on you manners cost nothing shame ths person can be named and shamed then the recruiters out there would no not to employ the perso with the bad attitude again manners cost nothing. Have heard of them many issues at the stoke comet that even if it was not closing. Would not be going back and I have shopped at come for years.

What a shame for this lady. Just a pity that she could not have used the friendly family run firm HYLANDS based in Longton Stone and Meir. Their super friendly, courteous sales staff and wonderful back up from the Service Department would have helped I am sure.
I priced up some electrical items at Comet recently even with the so called "sale" and then tried to purchase. The sales staff at Comet were rude, arrogant and a could care less attitude. I left the goods there and went to see Simon at Hylands Stone. Wonderful, marvellous service received and the chaps who did the delivery/ies were superb.
I know where I shall shop in future...... what a breath of fresh air
THANK YOU HYLANDS

I felt an overwhelming wave of indifference towards the plight of the *rs*h*le who served this lady. With a customer service attitude like that, I rather hope your search for a new job doesn't end in the near future, I'd sooner the vacancies went to people who are prepared to give a damm.

great attitude comet staff.lets hope what goes around comes around.it isnt this poor ladies fault your loosing your jobs.it appears with the attitude problem you have you have contributed to it yourselves.you should be ashamed.